Navratras conclude with prayers for peace in state

Amit Khajuria

Tribune News Service

Jammu, October 10

Amid heightened tension on the international border (IB) and Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir, Navratras, dedicated to nine incarnations of Goddess Durga, was celebrated under the shadow of war threat.

The festival of Navratras culminated today on Mahanavmi or the ninth day of Navratras, with “kanya pujan” and pouring of “khetri” (seedlings looking like long grass) in the Tawi.

Navratras are always celebrated with religious fervour in Jammu with nine days of fasting and “jagrans” of Mata Vaishno Devi and Chandi Mata. But this time devotees have prayed for peace in Jammu and Kashmir as the state has been under turmoil for the last three months.

“We organise a jagran in our locality every year during Navratras in which we pray for the wellbeing of our family, friends and relatives. But this time everyone was praying for the return of peace in the state,” said Nikhil Khajuria, resident of Roop Nagar.

“Though it is our religious festival as we worship Goddess Durga in her nine forms during Navratras, but the charm of Navratras was missing somewhere due to tension on borders and migration of border residents,” he added.

All the temples in the city were beautifully decorated and illuminated with colourful lights. The famous Bawe Wala Mandir at Bahu Fort, Mahamaya Mata Mandir, Shree Ranvireshwar Mandir, Shree Raghunath Mandir and others, including the Chichi Mata Mandir at Samba, etc, were beautifully decorated with flowers and witnessed heavy rush of devotees throughout the nine holy days of Navratras.

Heavy security arrangements were also made in view of tension in the state. All the major religious places in the city were stuffed with metal detectors and CCTV cameras. The police had also beefed up security in the city, especially in busy markets.

“Jagrans” in mohallas were the centre of attractions this year during Navratras, for which mohalla-level committees had collected money from their respective localities. Many of the localities had called performers from different parts of the country to attract more devotees to their “jagrans”.